1998 Edition

Area

total: 1,860 sq km land: 1,850 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area-comparative

almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Coastline

177 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire 828 m

Environment-current issues

water pollution

Environment-international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Irrigated land

170 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 49% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 22% other: 23% (1993 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Map references

World

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Natural resources

arable land, fish

Terrain

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Age structure

0-14 years: 26% (male 155,917; female 152,563) 15-64 years: 68% (male 393,330; female 397,285) 65 years and over: 6% (male 28,092; female 41,069) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

18.64 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

6.69 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%

Infant mortality rate

16.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.9 years male: 67.05 years female: 74.74 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.9% male: 87.1% female: 78.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

1,168,256 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.2% (1998 est.)

Religions

Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.22 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Constitution

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius

Data code

MP

Executive branch

chief of state: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRUN (since 1 July 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 28 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly election results: Cassam UTEEM elected president and Rabindranath GHURBURRUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly-NA

FAX

[1] (202) 966-0983 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Harold Walter GEISEL (8 July 1996) embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: International Mail: P.O. Box 544, Port Louis; US

[230] 208-9534

Flag description

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

12 March 1968 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: government party: Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] opposition parties: Hizbullah [Imam Mustapha BEEHARRY]; MSM/MMR alliance consisting of the Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH] and the Mauritian Militant Renaissance or MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING]; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER]; Organization of the People of Rodrigues or OPR [Louis Serge CLAIR]; Rodrigues Movement [Nicholas Von MALLY, leader] Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions

Legal system

based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (66 seats-62 popularly elected, 4 appointed; members serve five-year terms); note-the election commission appoints four members from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities elections: last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-MLP/MMM 65%, MSM/MMR 20%, other 15%; seats by party-MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, PMSD 1, Hizbullah 1

Mail

American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 208-2347, 208-2354, 208-9763 through 9767

National capital

Port Louis

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Budget

revenues: $822 million (FY 94/95) expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $198 million (FY95/96 est.)

Currency

1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$1.2 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy-overview

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to a middle income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial services, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been of the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on industrialization (with a view to modernization and to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1991-97 continued strong with solid growth and low unemployment.

Electricity-capacity

361,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

852 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

960 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1-22.220 (January 1998), 20.561 (1997), 17.948 (1996), 17.386 (1995), 17.960 (1994), 17.648 (1993)

Exports

total value: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: clothing and textiles 55%, sugar 24% (1995) partners: UK 34%, France 21%, US 15%, Germany 6%, Italy 4% (1995)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$11.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 8% industry: 29% services: 63% (1996)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$10,300 (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

5.4% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $2.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: manufactured goods 37%, capital equipment 19%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum products 8%, chemicals 7% (1995) partners: France 20%, India 8%, Hong Kong 7%, UK 6%, Germany 5% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

5.8% (1992)

Industries

food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism

Inflation rate-consumer price index

6.5% (1996)

Labor force

total: 514,000 (1995) by occupation: construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

395,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries

Telephones

65,000 (1985 est.)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1987 est.) note: two new subscription channels began operation in 1995

Televisions

151,096 (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.8% (1995)

Airports

5 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 1,860 km paved: 1,732 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 128 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Port Louis

Merchant marine

total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 241,799 GRT/336,316 DWT ships by type: cargo 7, combination bulk 2, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 note: a flag of convenience registry; India owns 1 ship (1997 est.)

Railways

0 km

Military branches

National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF, Special Support Units or SSU, and National Coast Guard)

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$13.9 million (FY94/95)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

0.1% (FY94/95)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 336,655 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 170,695 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

claims the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems (territorial collectivity of France)